I was really happy with how the V.B.S. went this year. The Lord really helped us. We only had 40-some kids every night (unlike the 50s-60s we ran last year), and, generally speaking, those were better behaved than I expected, listened to the stories pretty well, learned the hard (but wonderful) songs, and worked hard to learn their memory verses.
The story was about a family and some church friends (on a camping trip in the Colorado mountains) who learned about a different part of prayer every day on their 5-day trip: praising, thanking, confessing, praying for others, and praying for self. The Lord really helped Tim with the stories. (Tim had to make up most of the details of what happened every day of the trip and incorporate the "prayer lesson of the day" into it.)
Tim and one of the ABE Painting (Randy and Tim's company) employees painted a backdrop for the church "platform" with a mountain scene on it... I've actually been to the depicted place, Creedmore Lake, on a family camping trip in 2003.... back to the description of V.B.S. decorum: We had a tent, cooler, fishing poles, camping chairs (not sure what those are really called), a lantern, rope for a clothesline, and Christmas trees (pine trees) all for "props" to help everyone picture the camping scene of the story better.
Joy was the one in charge of the memory verses and activity. She helped the kids learn the verses by repetition of saying it together and using hand motions to cue different words. The helpers* and Joy would then listen to the kids say it individually. The kids memorized the 5 verses from the week to earn one prize at the end (10 inch balls for the 3-6 year olds, and plastic canteens for the 7-11 year olds). The activity for the younger kids was coloring a picture, while for the older kids it was filling out a Prayer Booklet (They wrote in there what they want to: praise God for, thank Him for, confess to Him, pray for a another, pray for themselves: whatever the day's lesson was on.)
Randy was the bus driver, outdoor game coordinator, and snack guy.
Brenda lead the singing, Joy playing the piano, this arrangement most of the nights.
*Helpers were people like me; Joy's sisters; moms of kids involved in the V.B.S.; and several of the better-behaved, church-attending, bus-ministry teens. We were so happy to have several moms - this was a new thing this year: mom's volunteering! - because they were such a help.
We started V.B.S. on Tuesday instead of Monday because of a trip Randy and Joy had to take over the weekend. We decided to do the V.B.S. through Saturday, instead of Friday because of starting "late", and added the story and verse of that day to the program practice and picnic activities we had already planned for Saturday. By this point in the week "yours truly" (I) was totally exhausted and tearful, though glad the whole week had gone so well, too many late nights, much busyness, and special burden left me TIRED. The Lord helped though, and we had His strength (always just the right amount for the situation) to get through that day. We had a good turnout for Sunday morning's program. I observed that kids are more rowdy the more tired "workers" and "helpers" are and the hotter the temperature outside! (Just kidding, but it did seem everyone was more "go-getter" on Saturday and Sunday, except us "workers".)
If your lucky there'll soon be a post of pictures from VBS.. until then, Keep looking to Jesus!
